The Panthers also missed out on ex-New York Giants wideout Hakeem Nicks when he signed with Indianapolis, although it’s unclear how interested the Panthers were in the former Independence High and North Carolina star.

Signing Cotchery and/or Jones, and going after a wideout in a receiver-rich draft, would ease some of the sting for Panthers fans and give Newton a new nucleus of targets.

Cotchery, 31, caught 46 passes for 602 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns last season. He was a fourth-round pick of the Jets in 2004, and spent seven years in New York before going to Pittsburgh before the 2011 season.

Cotchery, 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, signed a two-year, $3 million deal in 2012 with the Steelers, who lost receiver Emmanuel Sanders to Denver in free agency Saturday.

Cotchery played at N.C. State in 2000-03 and was a two-time All-ACC player.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Cotchery’s free agency was on hold until he returned from a Steelers fan cruise. Pittsburgh has had preliminary talks with Cotchery, who has drawn interest from two other teams, according to the Tribune-Review.

Jones, who will turn 30 this month, is coming off the two best seasons of his seven-year career.

He led the league with 14 touchdown catches in 2012, the only time he’s started 16 games in his career. Despite missing two games last season with a knee injury, Jones finished with 59 catches for 817 yards – a yard more than tight end Greg Olsen’s team-leading total for the Panthers.

The Jets were linked to Jones last week, but the interest seems to be lukewarm for a receiver with good size (6-1, 208) and above-average speed.

Cotchery and Jones have worn No. 89 for most of their careers, a jersey number that’s now available in Carolina.